HEC-HMS - S.

Diglio April 27, 2004

Hydrologic Modeling Overview

of Watersheds
„ Introduction
„ HEC-
HEC-Geo HMS
„ HEC-
HEC-HMS

Presented by:
Stephen Diglio

Introduction Uses of Hydrologic Models

„ Estimate and predict water quantities, and

flow rates for a given scenario
„ Aid in the development of a local and regional
storm water management plans
„ Determine increase in stream flow due to
new development
„ Assess the effectiveness of Best Management
Practices

Rational Method Technical Release 55 (TR-55)

The Rational Method is one of the simplest and „ Simplified procedure for estimating runoff and peak
discharges in small watersheds
best known methods routinely applied in urban
„ Data required:
hydrology. Peak flows are computed from the „ Runoff
simple equation: „ Rainfall
„ Land use / Land Cover
Q = kCiA „ Soil Types
where: „ Travel Time
„ Flow Length
Q - Peak flow „ Slope of Hydraulic Gradient
k - conversion factor „ Average Velocity
C - Runoff coefficient „ Drainage Area
i - Rainfall intensity „ Unit Peak Discharge
„ Pond and Swamp Adjustment Factor
A - Catchment area

Hydrologic_Modeling.ppt 1
HEC-HMS - S. Diglio April 27, 2004

Completed HMS Model

Disadvantages
„ Rational Method
„ Not rational
„ Limited to very small drainage areas
„ Overly simplified

„ TR-
TR-55
„ Limited to small watersheds
„ Limited number of land use types
„ Computationally intensive
„ May not be ideal for all geographic areas

Model Selection Data Needed

1. Determine what information is needed and what „ Topology
questions need to be answered.
2. Use the simplest method that can provide the answer to „ Land use
your questions.
3. Use the simplest model that will yield adequate
„ Soil Types
accuracy. „ Stream Characteristics
4. Do not try to fit the problem to a model, but try to
select a model that fits the problem.
5. Question whether increased accuracy is worth the
increased effort.
6. Do not forget the assumptions underlying the model
used and do not read more significance into the
simulation results than is actually there

Data Available Data Assembly

„ Digital Elevation Model (DEM) „ Projection
„ Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) „ Coordinate System
„ Digital Line Graph
„ Vertical and Horizontal Datum
„ Stream Networks
„ Units
„ Stream Flow Gage Data
„ Resolution
„ Ortho Photos
„ Soil Types Data „ Accuracy
„ Land Use / Land Cover „ Scales

Hydrologic_Modeling.ppt 2
HEC-HMS - S. Diglio April 27, 2004

HEC-Geo HMS
Program Requirements
„ Public-
Public-domain extension to ArcView
3.1-
3.1-3.3 and Spatial Analysts extension
„ Runs on Windows 95/98/NT platforms

HEC-Geo HMS Outputs Program Features

„ Background map file „ Data Management
„ Lumped basin model „ Main View
„ Grid cell parameter file • Terrain Preprocessing
„ Distributed basin model „ Project View
• Basin Processing
„ HMS Model Support

Main View Main View

Features and Functionality Terrain Processing
Menus „ First Step in Using HEC-
HEC-
Geo HMS
„ Done using a DEM
„ Determines flow paths
„ Result is a spatial
dataset for the study
Buttons area
Tools
„ Preliminary Watershed
Delineation

Hydrologic_Modeling.ppt 3
HEC-HMS - S. Diglio April 27, 2004

Terrain Processing (cont.)

Step by Step Approach Generating a Project View
„ Fill Sinks (Raster) „ Define an outlet
„ Flow Direction (Raster)
„ Flow Accumulation (Raster)
„ Stream Definition (Raster)
„ Stream Segmentation (Raster)
„ Watershed Delineation (Raster)
„ Watershed Polygon Processing
(Vector)
„ Stream Segment Processing
(Vector)
„ Watershed Aggregation

Main View Demonstration ProjView

Features and Functionality
Menus

Buttons
Tools

Project View Project View

Basin Processing Basin Processing
„ Focuses only on „ Basin Merge
the study area „ River Merge
„ Allows for „ River Profile
revisions to „ Split Basin at
subbasins,
subbasins, rivers Confluences
and Stream
„ Import Batch Points
„ Assigns Steam
and Watershed „ Delineate at Batch
Characteristics Points

Hydrologic_Modeling.ppt 4
HEC-HMS - S. Diglio April 27, 2004

Project View Project View

Stream and Watershed Characteristics Developing HEC-HMS Inputs
„ Stream or River „ Reach AutoName
Characteristics „ Basin AutoName
• Length „ Map to HMS Units
• Slope
„ HMS Check Data
„ Basin Characteristics
„ HMS Schematic
• Centroid
• Centroid Elevation „ HMS Legend
• Longest Flow Path „ Add Coordinates
• Centroidal Flow Path

ProjView Project View Demonstration

HEC-HMS Inputs
„ Background Map File
„ Lumped Basin Model
„ Grid Cell Parameter File
„ Distributed Basin Model

HEC-HMS
„ Designed to simulate the precipitation-
precipitation-
runoff processes of a watershed system
„ Applicable to a wide range of
geographic areas
„ Hydrographs produced by the program
can be used directly or in conjunction
with other software studies
Features
„ Completely integrated work
environment including
• Database
• Data Entry Utilities
• Computation Engine
• Results reporting tools

Hydrologic_Modeling.ppt 5
HEC-HMS - S. Diglio April 27, 2004

Basin Model
HEC-HMS

Subbasin
Modeling Basin Components Infiltration Losses
‰ Subbasin „ Initial and Constant
• Infiltration Losses „ Deficit / Constant
• Runoff Transform „ SCS Curve Number
• Base Flow „ Gridded SCS Curve
Number
‰ Reach
„ Green and Ampt.
Ampt.
• Open Channel Routing
„ SMA
„ Gridded SMA

Subbasin Subbasin
Runoff Transform Base Flow
„ Clark „ Constant Monthly
„ Kinematic Wave „ Recession
„ Mod Clark „ Linear Reservoir
„ Snyder „ Bounded Recession
„ SCS „ No Baseflow
„ User Specified S-
S-
Graph
„ User Specified UH

Hydrologic_Modeling.ppt 6
HEC-HMS - S. Diglio April 27, 2004

Reach
Open Channel Routing Meteorologic Models
„ Lag „ User Hyetograph
„ Muskingum „ User Gage Weighting
„ Inverse-
Inverse-Distance Gage
„ Modified Puls Weighting
„ Muskingum Cunge „ Gridded Precipitation
Std „ Frequency Storm
„ Muskingum Cunge 8 „ Standard Project Strom
Point „ SCS Hypothetical Storm
„ Straddle Stagger

Control Specifications Simulations

Model Calibration HEC-HMS Demonstration

„ Process of adjusting model parameter
values until model results match
historical data

Hydrologic_Modeling.ppt 7
HEC-HMS - S. Diglio April 27, 2004

Questions

Hydrologic_Modeling.ppt 8